W Ukrainie
2019, happening
2019, happening
Why do we say "na Ukrainie" (in Ukraine) in Polish, while we say "w Niemczech" (in Germany) or "we Francji" (in France)? Polish grammar uses "w" for countries and "na" for islands, regions, and, notably, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, and Hungary. These countries, sharing a history with Poland, also experienced periods without full sovereignty. Could this prepositional usage be a linguistic vestige of a past colonial relationship? How did this linguistic tradition originate?
On December 14, 2019, I stood at Warsaw's West Railway Station, a symbolic point of arrival for many Ukrainian immigrants, holding the "W Ukrainie" flag. This performative event, "W Ukrainie," invites us to collectively consider this linguistic curiosity and its historical implications.
On December 14, 2019, I stood at Warsaw's West Railway Station, a symbolic point of arrival for many Ukrainian immigrants, holding the "W Ukrainie" flag. This performative event, "W Ukrainie," invites us to collectively consider this linguistic curiosity and its historical implications.
